ADM+S partners with Victorian Women’s Trust for Rural Women Online
Author Natalie Campbell
Date 30 August 2024
In 2024 the ADM+S Australian Digital Inclusion Index team are partnering with the Victorian Women’s Trust for Rural Women Online, a series of free, public events designed in consultation with community representatives to develop digital skills and confidence for women living in regional Victoria.
The program, taking place in Shepparton and then Yackandandah, feature hands-on workshops, drop-in digital support services and presentations from local organisations to develop digital literacy skills. Sessions are run by local facilitators to encourage community learning and ongoing support.
The ADM+S Australian Digital Inclusion (ADII) research team is collaborating with the Victorian Women’s Trust to study the impact of the program and its ability to help close the gap of digital inclusion in regional areas, through surveys and interviews with participants.
ADM+S research fellow and ADII team member Dr Kieran Hegarty explains, “We’re speaking to participants about how they found the programs, how it impacted their confidence and motivation, and their level of skills, and how these kind of place based programs can be developed and strengthened and rolled out in other communities across Australia.”
Central to the methodology of the ADII, citizens’ feedback is crucial in determining the impact of initiatives aimed at improving digital inclusion, and identifying areas that need improvement.
“As a researcher, these kind of programs and getting involved are really critical because it helps translate the research we do around digital inclusion into tangible actions that can benefit communities,” he said.
As part of the Shepparton program, on 8 August ADM+S director Prof Julian Thomas presented a keynote titled ‘Challenges and Opportunities of the Digital Era’, which focussed on digital inclusion with reference to the ADM+S Mapping the Digital Gap project, and the ADII.
Considering the crucial role digital technologies play in everyday life, Prof Thomas’ talk framed digital inclusion as a human right in the information age, highlighting both the opportunities this presents, as well as the risks posed by barriers to digital society, especially for women in regional and rural areas.
Chair of the Victorian Women’s Trust Alana Johnson said, “Nothing’s going to happen to reduce that digital divide unless we take action. We can’t sit back and expect the NBN, or the government, or the local council or whoever, to make it all right for us.
“We have to do that for community, with community and by community.”
Established in 1985, the Victorian Women’s Trust (VWT) is a proudly independent feminist organisation which supports women, girls and gender diverse people through social change projects and campaigns, thought-provoking events, mentorship opportunities, and grants for vital grassroots projects.
Learn more about the initiative in this video.
Watch Prof Thomas’ keynote.
